The present invention relates to mechanized vehicles and in particular to powered amphibious crafts. More particularly the invention relates to vehicles of the above class which are useful for transportation of cargo or personnel over a wide variety of surfaces.
Typical prior art crafts are disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,351,262, Re. 31,563 and 4,458,622. The '262 patent shows a pair of fixed hull struts 13 and 15 straddling an adjustable central hull section 11 which is advanced and retracted by the expansion and contraction of an air chamber 27. The '563 patent shows hinged flaps 28 and 29 positioned between fixed skis 12 and 13 in one embodiment; a second embodiment shows retractible skis 42 with hinged flaps 28b and 29b. The flaps act as skis, walls to block spray or are fitted with dam elements to block spray depending upon the particular embodiment. The '622 patent shows a pair of retractable hull elements 8 at the stern of an inboard motor. While these prior art structures have utility they are designed for operation in conventional waterways such as inland, rivers, lakes, oanals and bodies of salt water.